Orphan Black: Echoes Review – Stunning Sci-Fi Spin-Off Makes Orphan Black Connections Irrelevant

Orphan Black: Echoes expands on the rich sci-fi world established in the original show, with a talented cast leading the project. In a technologically advanced world where the cutting edge of science pushes the boundaries of what is morally acceptable, cloning has long been prohibited. However, with the possibility of cloning already proven, those with enough scientific knowledge are capable of bending the rules, and learning first hand why it was banned in the first place.

Echoes is set almost 40 years after the original Orphan Black series ended. Now, fully grown, Kira Manning, the only child of a clone in existence, has established a successful career as a renowned scientist whose research has contributed to numerous life-saving treatments. However, when her wife dies of early-onset Alzheimer’s, Kira struggles to move on as she looks to her past to solve her present-day problems.

Orphan Black: Echoes Cleverly & Expertly Expands The World Of Orphan Black

Orphan Black: Echoes slots perfectly into the world of the original series, while moving further ahead in time. The original characters exist, and are referenced throughout, but with decades between them, it makes sense for Echoes to follow a new path. Using Kira as the anchor between the shows is a perfect way to join them together without being completely weighed down by an already established rule book.

Echoes could even stand on its own as a stand-alone series, set in a futuristic world where cloning is illegal, but the connection does provide a slight boost to fans of Orphan Black. Regardless of the connection, Echoes is a distinct new story with a compelling narrative and intriguing characters. And while Kira remains an important character, the main focus shifts quickly to characters like Lucy (Krysten Ritter) and Jules (Amanda Fix).

As a series about clones, and the mysteries regarding their identity, their purpose, and the intentions of the people involved in bringing them into the world, Echoes establishes a dark and clever tone from very early on in season 1. The show wastes no time in revealing the intense and complex premise at its core, before zooming out to take a broader look at the story. With unique and well-defined characters, season 1 is an exciting journey from start to finish.

Echoes Stands Apart From Orphan Black

Despite trying to shoehorn in the connections, Echoes is a solid spin-off

While the show is clearly finding itself throughout season 1, introducing the characters and themes that could be explored in future seasons, its biggest problem is, in fact, its connection to its parent series. Establishing Echoes as a spin-off from Orphan Black immediately provides context, and an opportunity to have fun cameos with the original cast. But it can also be a burden for the creatives tying the show in with an older series that has long since ended.

It isn’t necessary to tie every idea to an already existing IP, and it could alienate potential new audiences who never saw the original show. With Echoes, cloning is not a new original concept, and Kira’s character is an entirely different person after 40 years of lived experience. There’s no real need to tie the shows together, and some of the references between them feel shoehorned in.

Despite this, the show is captivating and entertaining throughout. From the writing to the acting by the incredible core cast — especially Amanda Fix, who delivers a standout performance — Orphan Black: Echoes is thrilling, engaging, and evenly paced. Season 1 is an incredible first chapter in what promises to be a thrilling new sci-fi series.

All 10 episodes of Orphan Black: Echoes Season 1 will be available to stream on June 23 on AMC, AMC+, and BBC America.

Orphan Black: Echoes is the sequel series to the original that aired in 2013. In Echoes, Krysten Ritter stars as Lucy, a woman trying to find her place in the world. She will soon discover that she may be part of the clone experimentation process that former protagonist Sarah Manning and her “sisters” were.

Pros

• The acting from the main cast is excellent, particularly young Amanda Fix.
• Echoes does a great job of establishing a story without relying on previous knowledge of the OG series.
• A solid first season to establish this promising sci-fi thriller.

Cons

• The connection to Orphan Black felt minimal to the point of being irrelevant.
• There are typical season 1 teething problems, but great potential for season 2.